Find God after Abortion with the Film ‘The Choice’

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

How can you find God after abortion?  The book Deliver Me and the short film ‘The Choice’ offer hope.

 

Bring up the subject of abortion and discussions get heated. Pro-lifers fight for the unborn. Pro-choicers fight for “a women’s right to choose.” (My short film, embedded below, reveals a different kind of choice.) In the melee, people who are forgotten are those who made the choice, experienced abortion, and now live with that choice. They often suffer multiple symptoms including believing God will never forgive them. But I discovered some find God after abortion.

In my book Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy, I talked with many women (and men) about their decision to have an abortion. Most of them told me that afterwards they struggled with nightmares, depression, fear, promiscuity, anger, anxiety, guilt, alcohol dependency, drug abuse, or suicidal thoughts or attempts. These symptoms can increase around the anniversary of the abortion, the date when the child would have been born, and holidays like Mother’s Day.

These and other symptoms collectively are called Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS).

In February, I participated in the 168 Film Project, which is a speed filmmaking contest to make a short film (11 minutes max) based on an assigned Bible verse in 168 hours (1 week). This year for the first time I headed up my own film team as Producer, Director, and Writer.

This year’s contest theme was “Promises” (from God) and my team was assigned Romans 10:11-13:

 “As the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile —the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

As I prayed about what story we would make into a film that week, I thought of a story in my book Deliver Me called “The Choice” by Chris Jackman, a singer/songwriter. Chris told me in the years following her abortion she deeply regretted her choice, thought God would never forgive her, and found herself numerous times with a razor to her wrist trying to work up the courage to end her torment. Eventually, at the suggestion of a Christian bookstore owner, Chris wrote and recorded an entire CD about her experience called “The Choice.”

Whether because of shame, guilt, or fear of being found out, many women (and men) live with a hidden secret: they’ve lost a child to abortion. They live with the agony of what they’ve done and the fear that they have committed the one sin God will never forgive. That’s a lie. Don’t listen to the lies anymore. God will forgive you. He loves you.

This Mother’s Day, I want to recognize all those mothers and fathers who have lost a child to abortion. As my Mother’s Day gift to you, here is my film ‘The Choice’. My prayer is that it will find its way to the women and men who need its message of love and hope and forgiveness, and that you will find God after abortion.

The Choice – HD

(Film run time, 10 minutes. Includes the original song The Choice, by Chris Jackman, part of a biographical music story on CD about her abortion recovery journey.)

© Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her latest book, Deliver Me for those in an unplanned pregnancy or with one in their past, just won a “Book of the Year” award. Her next book, Grandparenting through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ, is due out mid-August, 2012, from Pix-N-Pens Publishing. Her first book Dear America has just been republished for Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com

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Finding God in the Changed Life of Chuck Colson

May 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

The Changed Life of Chuck Colson: From Watergate to Prison Ministry

 

In our article Finding God in the Art of Thomas Kinkade, we briefly mentioned how a person who claims to be a Christian and does things that are wrong can impact others, influencing them to reject Jesus Christ. We addressed the logic (or lack of logic) of that in a follow-up article, Finding God When Disappointed by Christians: Hypocrites?

Yet what about when a person who is not a Christian–and is living a very wrong life–becomes a Christian, and begins to live a life pleasing to God?  We lost a man like this on April 21, 2012, when Chuck Colson passed away at age 80.

On March 30, Colson became ill “during his speech at the Wilberforce Weekend Conference hosted by the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview in northern Virginia,” (Emily Belz, Colson’s final speech, Worldmag.org). Colson underwent surgery to remove a pool of blood on his brain and, after complications, died on Saturday.

Colson was known for two dramatically different times in his life:

The first was as one of President Richard Nixon’s “hatchet men.” According to the Associated Press article,  Watergate figure Charles Colson,  “Colson once famously said he’s walk over his grandmother to get the president elected to a second term.” This article, posted at timesunion.com, describes what led to Colson’s imprisonment:

 “…it was actions that preceded the actual Watergate break-in that resulted in Colson’s criminal conviction. Colson pleaded guilty to efforts to discredit Pentagon analyst Daniel Ellsberg. It was Ellsberg who had leaked the secret Defense Department study of Vietnam that became known as the Pentagon Papers. …Colson pleaded guilty in 1974 to obstruction of justice in connection with attempts to discredit Ellsberg, though charges were dropped that Colson actually played a role in the burglary of Ellsberg’s psychiatrist’s office. Charges related to the actual Watergate burglary and cover-up were also dropped. He served seven months in prison.”

But prison changed Chuck Colson.  In 1993 he said, “Lying on the rotten floor of a cell, you know it’s not prosperity or pleasure that’s important, but the maturing of the soul.”

Many scoffed at the “religious conversion” of Chuck Colson, but in the decades following his incarceration, he founded Prison Fellowship, a compassionate outreach to prisoners and their families and Angel Tree, which reaches out with help and compassion to the children of prisoners.

Michael Gerson, opinion writer for the Washington Post wrote, “He was consumed — utterly consumed — by his calling to serve prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families.”

According to the Times Union article, “The Boston Globe wrote in 1973, ‘If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everyone.’”

So true. That’s why some are finding God in the changed life of Chuck Colson.

Here’s a video with a CBN.com interview from 2008 with Chuck Colson. He discussed his conversion, Prison Fellowship, and having a Christian worldview.

© Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her book Deliver Me, about unplanned pregnancy, just won a “Book of the Year” award. Her first book Dear America has just been republished for Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com

 

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Find God in an Interview with Rick Warren (Saddleback Church) on ABC

April 26, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

 

A few weeks ago on Easter, Jake Tapper, sitting in for George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” talked with Pastor Rick Warren about the Christian faith, politics, and more. You may find God in this interview with Rick Warren on ABC (embedded below).

Rick Warren is pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and author of The Purpose Driven Life: What On Earth Am I Here For? which has sold more than 30 million copies and been translated into more than 50 languages.

When asked about when he has felt unable to trust God, Warren said, “I think a lot of times God takes away your feelings so you have to depend on faith. And faith is kind of like a tide: it rolls in, it rolls out. You keep on going.”

On Mitt Romney’s Mormonism: A ChristianPost.com article recapped Warren’s thoughts: “The ‘key sticking point,’ for many Christians regarding whether Mormons share their faith is the trinity, according to Warren. ‘That’s the historic doctrine of the Church. That God is three-in-one. Not three Gods. One God in Father, son and Holy Spirit. Mormonism denies that.’”

Warren gave the invocation at President Obama’s inauguration.  Tapper asked what’s the state of the union spiritually? Warren said the coarsening of our culture and the loss of civility in our civilization concern him most.

On politics, the Christian Post.com article said Warren “believes in the separation of church and state, but does not believe in the separation of faith and politics.”

“Faith is simply a worldview,” Warren said in the interview. “Everybody has a world view. So we’re saying that only those with religious worldviews aren’t welcome at the table? …I’m in favor of everybody being able to come to the table with a worldview. I do not believe in imposing what I believe on everybody else.”

About  Tim Tebow? “The fact that Tebow would get criticized for kneeling and praying? I could give you 15, or 50, other things you should be more worried about in that coliseum than a kid kneeling down to thank God that he played good.”

Asked by a viewer via Twitter if Warren believes faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven, the pastor said, “I do believe that… Jesus said, ‘I am the way. He didn’t say, ‘I’m one of the ways… I don’t think any of us deserve to go to heaven. I think the only way any of us get into heaven is God’s grace… The fact is, it’s available to everybody.”

Listen to the whole interview. You may find God in this  interview with Rick Warren.

Rick Warren from Saddleback Church on ‘This Week With George Stephanopoulos’ interviewed by Jake Tapper

Video interview:

© Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her latest book is Deliver Me, for those in an unplanned pregnancy or with one in their past, just won a “Book of the Year” award. Her first book Dear America has just been republished for Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com

 

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Finding God in Humor

April 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

 Have you considered finding God in humor? If not, give it a try. I believe God wants us to be full of joy and laughter and to give up fretting and worrying.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands (Isaiah 55:12, NIV Bible).

By sharing a smile with others, you’ll honor God and bring encouragement and hope to yourself as well.

Five Ways to Nurture Your Sense of Humor

 

1. Share a funny or embarrassing moment with someone you know, and enjoy it together. My friend Melissa called to say she sprayed her hair with furniture polish. “It fell flat but had a nice shine!”

2. Laugh at yourself even when you feel like crying. I thought I’d misplaced my cell phone only to discover I was using it right then to speak with my neighbor. Oh my!

3. Cheer up sick friends with a book of humorous stories or jokes. Help them discover that as Will Rogers said, “Laughter is the best medicine.”

4. Find humor even in serious situations. A woman whose hair was growing in after chemo treatments said her husband Dan helped her laugh everyday. “We had a short-haired dog at the time so when my hair started coming in, he clapped me on the back and said, ‘Great. Now I have a short-haired wife too!’ I liked my new look so well, I never let my hair grow long again.”

5.  Make a list of scripture verses that encourage laughter and tack them up on your mirror or bulletin board to review each day. Here are a few.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy” (Psalm 126:2).

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful . . .” (Proverbs 15:13).

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21).

         

Finding God in humor is easy once you look for Him there. Enjoy this YouTube video from Mars Hill Church, “Was Jesus Funny?”

 ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

 

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Find God in Prophecies of Chaotic Weather

April 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

Finding God in Chaotic Weather: Image by Salvatore Vuono

It’s April and storm season, the time for violent weather. If we look into Scripture, it’s possible we can find God in prophecies of chaotic weather.

In Luke 21:25-26, Jesus was talking about the Signs that would come before His second coming when He comes to judge the world. He said,

“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

Some people think this Bible verse could refer to increased intensity in chaotic weather patterns on earth.

We’ve certainly seen a lot of intense weather in the United States in recent years. The National Weather Service sent out strong warnings prior to and during the weekend of April 14 – 15, 2012. And tornadoes did form across the Midwest, tearing up towns like Woodward, Oklahoma.

The largest tornado outbreak ever recorded occurred just a year ago.  According to Wikipedia, the 2011 Super Outbreak, occurred from April 25 to 28, 2011 when destructive tornadoes hit Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The Wikipedia article says, regarding that 2011 outbreak, “In total, 353 tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service in 21 states from Texas to New York and even isolated tornadoes in Canada. Widespread and destructive tornadoes occurred on each day of the outbreak, with April 27 being among the most prolific and destructive tornado days in United States history with a record 208 tornadoes touching down that day. Four of the tornadoes were destructive enough to be rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which is the highest ranking possible; typically these tornadoes are only recorded about once each year or less.”

The number killed as a result of those tornadoes: 346 people.

Less than a month later, on Sunday afternoon, May 22, 2011, Joplin, Missouri, was struck by an EF5 multiple-vortex tornado. “It was part of a larger late-May tornado outbreak sequence and reached a maximum width of in excess of 1 mile (1.6 km) during its path through the southern part of the city,” Wikipedia says. The number of deaths directly linked to the tornado: 160.

Jesus also mentioned “the roaring and tossing of the sea.” If you’re curious about earthquakes and tsunamis, I wrote about those in these two articles: “Find God in Prophecy about Earthquakes” and “Signs of the End Times? – Earthquakes and Tsunamis.”

Throughout the Bible we can see that, because of His great love for all people, God always sends warnings before He sends His judgments (which are disasters meant to put a stop to or slow down increased sin. His ultimate judgment will be His second coming.). But people don’t always listen. They say, “It’s not God. It’s global warming.” Do you think God is warning us through tornadoes and other disasters? If yes, are you listening? If you are, then you might find God in prophecies of chaotic weather.

© Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her latest book is Deliver Me is for those in an unplanned pregnancy or with one in their past, and just won “Book of the Year” at Christian Small Publisher’s Association. Her first book Dear America is now available on Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com.

April 2012 Tornado Videos

At TornadoVideos.net, see: Update from the April 14, 2012 tornado outbreak.)

Also see this video below, showing what an amazing creator we have:

From YouTube: Top 20 Amazing Weather Phenomena

 

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Find God on the 100th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Titanic

April 15, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne Neal Matthews:

Deeper and deeper I sink into the mire; I ­can’t find a foothold. Psalm 69:2

Photo of the Titanic from Wikimedia Commons

This week marks the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, the largest, most luxurious ocean liner of its time.

On April 14, 1912, during its first voyage from England to New York City and only five days into the trip, the British steamer sideswiped an iceberg around 11:40 p.m.

Two and a half hours later–at 2:20 a.m. on April 15th–the ship that many called “unsinkable” broke apart and sank. The ship carried enough lifeboats for ­only half of its 2,200 passengers and crew. Approximately 1,500 people lost their lives.

As we recall the disastrous sinking of the Titanic, there are a few spiritual lessons in which we can find God:

One night, ­Jesus walked on water, and his disciple Peter wanted to join him. Peter left the boat and was doing fine until he looked around at the high waves. Then he became terrified and started to sink (Matthew 14:25-30).

Like Peter, we may be accomplishing great things with God’s help until we look around at our frightening circumstances. Then our faith starts to waver, and we get more than a sinking feeling.

At other times, we may start to look at our successes and ignore the need to safeguard our spiritual growth. We may start to feel unsinkable, like the Titanic. But there are always hidden dangers that can wreck our witness and ministry. The ­only way to safely navigate life is to keep our eyes on ­Jesus, not on self or on the circumstances around us. If we find God in the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and learn this lesson, we can be sure He will help us complete our voyage.

For more information about the Titanic, you can read an article with The Washington Post, about an  interview with Robert Ballard, the man who led the expedition that discovered the ship’s wreck., and his obsession with the Titanic.

Also, history buffs and home-schoolers may learn something new from this video on YouTube, with newsreel footage from that time period:

Titanic and Survivors–Genuine 1912 Footage

 

 © Dianne Neal Matthews (www.DianneNealMatthews.com). Dianne is a freelance writer and the author of four daily devotional books. This article is adapted from her book, The One Year on This Day (Tyndale House).

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Finding God in a Stew Pot in Africa

April 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

Sometimes our plans are not God’s. Janie unexpectedly found the will of God in a stew pot.

 

My young church friend Janey could hardly wait to board the plane with her college friends for a short-term summer mission in the Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) in Central Africa.

The group’s purpose was to meet native Africans, and to move from village to village supporting Christian leaders in showing a film about the life of Christ. The furthest thing from her mind was finding God in a stew pot.

But then one evening at dusk, an African man on the crew called her aside and asked her to prepare stew for dinner. “That was the last thing I felt like doing,” said Janey. “I was annoyed that he chose a woman to do the cooking. Why not a guy? Besides, that’s not what I came for. I wanted to share Jesus with the people, not be stuck in front of a stove.”

But Janey didn’t have a choice. She was told to get on it.

“Then the most amazing thing occurred,” she said smiling. “As I peeled carrots and potatoes, and cut up pieces of stew meat, I looked up for a moment, and there in the midst of this beautiful tropical setting, I noticed mothers walking back and forth, busy with their duties, as children played and ran down the dirt paths.”

Janey lingered over the scene when suddenly the sky turned an intense bright orange––almost red.

“It was the most stunning sunset I had ever seen. I couldn’t stop looking at it. Moments before I had been so focused on what would gratify me, I almost missed this exquisite gift, and the entire point of the trip, which was to serve where I was needed. I turned back to my task. There I was finding God in a stew pot—a most unexpected place,” she said. “And I was filled with unspeakable joy.”

I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food.  (Psalm 132:15, NIV Bible)

Then Janey added, “It was the best stew I ever ate!”

For delicious beef stew, check out the instructions on this YouTube video:

How To Make Great Beef Stew, Fast & Easy

You can also print this beef stew recipe.

Have you ever had an intended mission interrupted by an unexpected moment from God?  Sometimes our plans are not His! Share your own story with us in a Comment (link is by the article title).

 ©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com

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How to Pray? Be Specific and Find God

April 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

 How to Pray?

Believe in Prayer and Find God!

Do you pray? Have you ever asked God for anything? What happened? Did He answer, or did He leave you wondering why all you got was silence?

If you’re frustrated with your prayers (or with God’s answers to them), I’d like to suggest you pray specifically.

At times I’d been frustrated because I kept hearing of my friends getting amazing answers to their prayers, but when I prayed, I got nothing. Then one day it occurred to me that the problem may not be God’s answers (or lack of them). The problem might be my prayers.

I took a good look at my prayers and I realized my prayers were so vague I wouldn’t recognize God’s answers even if He had sent one! After all, if I ask Him to “bless” me or “bless” someone I love, what will that look like when the answer comes?

I decided I needed to get more intentional about my praying, which meant getting more specific.

Here is a story about Jesus in the Bible from Matthew 20:29-34.

“As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’

“The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’

“Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.

“‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’

“Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”

Those two men wanted something specific from Jesus, but their request at first was vague. When they really thought about what they wanted from Him and asked specifically, their faith was rewarded. What, specifically, do you want from God? What would you like Him to do for you? Is what you want within His will, meaning it doesn’t violate His good and pure personality? If yes, then get specific and ask Him.

Of course there can also be drawbacks to praying specifically. I wrote an article about the pitfalls of praying specifically, which includes having wrong motives, manipulating His answers, or not accepting His answers. You can find the others in the short article “Re-energize Your Prayer Life.”

If you really give some thought to what you want from God (within His good will), and then if you work at asking Him specifically for what it is you need, you just might find you’re receiving real, solid answers to your prayers.

How to pray? Be specific!

Here are five more tips about praying from author and our blog founder, Linda Evans Shepherd, talking about a passage in her book, When You Can’t Find God: How to Ignite the Power of Prayer.

©Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her latest book is Deliver Me is for those in an unplanned pregnancy or with one in their past. Her first book Dear America has just been republished for Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com


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Finding God in Easter

April 7, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Karen O’Connor:

Finding God in Easter

Finding God at Easter

Sunlight streamed through my bedroom window and poked me in the eye one early Sunday morning in April 1948. “Wake up. It’s Easter,” I called to my sister June.

She popped up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Together we bounded down the stairs to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Sure enough. True to his custom, Dad had placed three beautiful carnation corsages on the top shelf––one for Mom, one for June, and one for me.

After breakfast we stepped into our pretty spring dresses, lacy socks, and patent leather slippers. At that time of my life Easter was all about clothes, candy, Easter eggs and the beautiful baskets Mom filled with goodies.

When I grew up and had children of my own, I repeated the Easter customs I had grown to love. Then suddenly without warning, in my late thirties, my life turned upside down like an umbrella in a rainstorm. My husband left our family. I was a woman alone, divorced, and scared out of my mind at what lay ahead.

I needed a Savior!

And into my life came Jesus Christ––the one I had read about, sang about, learned about—but never really knew until He came alive through the pages of Scripture and the shared experiences of caring people in a Bible study I attended as a guest of a new friend.

Suddenly I knew that my life never was and never would be only about me. It was a gift from God through Jesus Christ. He alone could turn my heart from one of stone to one of flesh. He alone could provide what I needed and desperately wanted—to be loved and forgiven and rescued. I confessed my sins and received Him as my Lord and Savior.

Easter that year—over thirty years after the Easter morn I remembered from 1948—was the first time I walked in the only new garments that matter. I was clothed in righteousness, released from sin, restored in spirit, and recognized as a friend of God.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though

he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26 NIV).

 

Finding God in Easter that year changed my life forever.

Enjoy this inspiring YouTube video featuring Handel’s “Messiah,” sung by the Choir of King’s College Cambridge.

©Karen O’Connor. Karen is an author, writing mentor, and frequent contributor to the Finding God Daily blog. Visit Karen on the web at www.karenoconnor.com.

 

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Finding God in a Thorn Bush

April 3, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Deborah Lovett:

Finding God in Thorns in Life

One day several years ago in early spring, my daughter took our 135 pound golden retriever, “Frappy” on a walk. About an hour later, my son and I started looking for them, although we were rather skeptical of such a long walk.  Crissy knew she had piano lessons to attend. We had no idea that we would be finding God in a thorn bush that day.

As we screamed for her, we saw and heard nothing. . . until finally a ragged, crying, muddy daughter appeared. “What happened?” I asked. “Are you all right?” She sobbed and I held her tight as she unraveled her story. Her walk had been going fine, then suddenly:

“Frappy darted for the neighbor’s field, and the neighbor’s dog!”

(That dog looks like a very mean and ferocious wolf, I might add.)

“I ran after him. The two growling dogs were at each other’s throats!”

Now you need to understand, Crissy loves (and I do mean loves) her dog! She sprang toward them and found herself smack dab in the middle of a huge block of thorn bushes! Which explains the crying. As I hugged her, and after making sure the dogs were separated and safe, I reminded her of how important it is for us to always watch where we are going. But, I also told her that in a couple of days, those same thorn bushes that hurt her today, will bring great joy to her through their fragrance, color and beauty. They were wild roses bushes, a sight to behold when in bloom.

I wonder what your thorn bush may be today? Is it one you walked right into while following someone else, or perhaps you were not looking where you were going?  Have you gotten off the spiritual path God intends for you? When is the last time you looked?

Thorns can bring us closer to God, no matter if they are self-induced, other- induced, or God induced. All things or ‘thorns’ work to the good of those who love God. Some thorns can be sharper than others.

I personally have been learning not to overreact when I run into a thorn bush, but to look for God in it, to rely on His faithfulness through it with prayer and thanksgiving. It seems to me that I have more peace when I take this approach.

Be encouraged in your struggles, pains, hardships and sufferings today. God cares for you, is watching you, understands and loves you.

Remember Jesus bore the ultimate crown of thorns upon His Kingly head when He died for us at Calvary. He understands and has compassion. Now that is truly finding God in thorns.

If you want to do a little personal Bible study on this topic, you can read click and read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 at www.biblegateway.com.

See too, this YouTube video: The Last Painting produced by Igniter Media, with painter Mike Lewis. Christ endured so much pain and suffering for us. He understands what human suffering feels like. Yet he also had a grand purpose in his own suffering: to bring us eternal life.

Igniter Media produces high quality mini movies for use by pastors and others who want to share the gospel. Find out more about them at www.ingitermedia.com.

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Finding God in Palm Sunday

March 31, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

kongsky / FreeDigitalPhotos.netI recently learned more about Palm Sunday, and suddenly I’m finding God in Palm Sunday in a whole new way.

In preparation for the first Passover (See the article, A Feast to Remember) God told Moses:

“on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect… Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight” (Exodus 12:3, 5, 6, NIV).

People chose their lamb on the tenth for Passover, which is always the 14th day of the Jewish month Nissan. So they had to keep and care for the lamb four days. During that time the Priests inspected the lambs to insure they were without defect.

Fast-forwarding to the time of Jesus: “Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead” (John 12:1-2).

Six days before the Passover would be the 8th of Nissan. Hebrew days start in the evening, so this was the evening of the 8th going into the 9th. “The next day” would be the 9th going into the 10th.

John tells us:

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem” John 12:12.

All the sheep for the Temple sacrifice were raised near Bethlehem to the south of Jerusalem. Before Passover, the sheep were brought through the Sheep Gate on the north side of the Temple for inspection, with the High Priest leading the way.

During this time the people waved palm branches and sang from the “Hallel” (Psalm 113 – 118)  At this point, specifically they would  these sing Psalm 118:24-26, including these words:

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

“O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.”

Meanwhile the Lord Jesus, on His way into town from Bethany to the east, came over the Mount of Olives and into the Eastern Gate with people singing the same thing to Him!

In the following days, the priests also “inspected” the Lamb of God:

“…the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ (Mark 11:27-28)

“…they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words” (Mark 12:13).

“Then the Sadducees… came to him with a question” (Mark 12:18).

“One of the teachers of the law… asked him…” (Mark 12:28).

“…And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions” (Mark 12:34).

The Lamb of God was carefully inspected and revealed to be perfect. Whether they knew it or not, the priests and the people were literally finding God in Palm Sunday.

©Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, author, and screenwriter. Her latest book is Deliver Me (http://bit.ly/sWWaZR) is for those in an unplanned pregnancy or with one in their past. Her first book Dear America (http://amzn.to/DearAmerica) has just been republished for Kindle. Follow her writing at www.DeliverMeBook.blogspot.com

Enjoy this video on YouTube from the movie, The Gospel of John:

 

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Finding God in a Speeding Ticket

March 26, 2012 By 2 Comments

By Dianne Neal Matthews:

Imagine yourself driving across Wyoming on a warm, sunny day in March. The speed limit is 75, but there’s not much traffic and the roads are straight, so why restrict yourself when you’re making such good time? Suddenly, a patrol car appears by the side of the interstate; your foot flies off the accelerator but you see those flashing lights in your rear view mirror. In that moment, chances are you’re not thinking about finding God in a speeding ticket. All you can think is that you’ve been caught.

John 8:1-11 tells the story of another woman caught red-handed. Some Jewish religious leaders dragged the woman before Jesus and asked him if she should be stoned for adultery, as the law of Moses stated. The woman stood alone, helpless and humiliated before the leering crowd. Her fate seemed to rest with the Man who stooped to write in the dust.

 “The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her,” Jesus announced. One by one the men slipped away. Finally, Jesus faced the woman. “Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?” he asked. “No one, sir,” the woman answered. Then Jesus replied, “I don’t condemn you either.”

In my case, the highway patrolman politely informed me that I had been going 83. He took my driver’s license and insurance card to run a check on me and my vehicle. A few moments later, he returned and handed me a written warning.

What relief! Instead of finding God in a speeding ticket, it turned out to be an opportunity to find Him in a written warning. I could have faced a stiff fine and having a citation on my driving record. Instead, the officer’s decision reminded me of God’s mercy and forgiveness. And his final words reminded me of Jesus’ instruction to the woman caught in adultery: “Go and sin no more.” The highway patrolman’s words were different but carried the same message: “Go and speed no more.”

 ©Dianne Neal Matthews. Dianne is a freelance writer and the author of The One Year Women of the Bible and three other daily devotional books. Visit her at www.DianneNealMatthews.com or @DianneNMatthews.

Fortunately, God is not as arbitrary as this police officer is in this gag video! God is fair and merciful, but he is also just.


 

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Finding God in the Jesus Boat

March 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Dianne E. Butts

The Jesus Boat (Photo from Wikipedia.org)

It was January 24, 1986. A prolonged drought lay over Israel. The drought had lowered the level of the Sea of Galilee so much, that two brothers, Yuval and Moshe Lufan, made an unusual discovery that has excited people of faith and archaeologists ever since and may have people finding God in the Jesus boat.

A boat.

But not just any boat. A boat from the era of Jesus and found on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus had preached and fed multitudes of  people with only a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish.

Matthew 15:29-39  tells us that on the shores of the Sea of Galilee Jesus healed many of illnesses and fed 4,000 people with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish.

John 6:1-14  says that during another time, Jesus fed a great crowd of 5,000 people “with five small barley loaves and two small fish” and had twelve baskets of barley loaves left over.

It was as Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee that Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew to come follow him, “and I will make you fishers of men,” Jesus said (Matthew 4:18-19  and Mark 1:16:17)

At the time the brothers Yuval and Moshe discovered the boat, a brilliant, rare double rainbow stretched over them. Was this a sign from God?

According to an article on JesusBoatMuseum.com, “What had been found was a Bible-era artifact like no other. Some consider it to be among the top ten biblical archaeological discoveries ever found. The Jesus Boat is a one-of-a-kind actual touch-point back to the exact time and place of Jesus!”

The boat currently is held in the Yigal Allon Museum located on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Could this be a boat that Jesus sailed in? Might this be a boat touched by the very hands of Jesus Christ? Many people are asking similar questions and searching to see if they are finding God in the Jesus boat.

©Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, screenwriter, and author. You can visit Dianne at www.DianneEButts.com and on Twitter as @DianneEButts.

Trailer:

Longer video:

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Finding God After a Tornado

March 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

By Deborah Lovett:

A few weeks ago my husband and I were watching the news, with horrendous pictures of tornadoes from the previous week. Our hearts were breaking for the people who had lost their homes. We knew what they were going through, having lost our own home in 2008 to a fire. So we decided to go. Just go!  We knew there must be a hurting family who would need to be finding God after a tornado hit their home, and God placed on our hearts this verse, Matthew 25:35 (New International Version):

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and your clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

We need to walk our talk by putting our boots to the pavement and actually doing what Jesus tells us to do in His Word, and by listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying His voice. So we headed out to Sam’s Club, loaded up our truck with cases of water, and headed for tornado alley.

You know the story of the lost sheep, lost coin, the lost son in Luke Chapter 15?  Well, at first my husband and I were the ones lost. Let me explain.

We intended to go to Moscow, Ohio where 25-30 homes had been destroyed and deliver the water. But we got lost –or sidetracked, as my husband likes to say! But God is so good. In our seeking to get back on track, He had us “find” this one family: a mom and daughter who had lost everything.

They lost their trailer, and all their belongings had been shredded. The tornado had literally destroyed everything. They were searching in the rubble for the little girls’ Barbies. God is so good: we may have been lost, but “He” had “found” this family in need of help and put us right there!  We weren’t lost, according to Him! We were right where we needed to be! We gave them water, Bibles, a bracelet for the little girl, and money for food. They had been passed over by the Red Cross, and were not on anyone’s radar but God’s!

Then we prayed over and for them: for God’s mercy, love, support, and provision. They did not have insurance, but they do have a God who loves them and found them in the midst of everything. They were the only ones hit from the tornado in their parts. It was a one hit touchdown, and no one else was affected around them. Little did they know that our God was on top of it!

It was a good Saturday and I am so glad we went. I wore my work boots and God did the walking and talking. Does this story speak to you today? Perhaps it has to do with where you are. If you have been lost, God is waiting for you and you are right where He wants you. Or is God nudging you to help someone? Please pray about it. For more ideas visit my website page, where I have tips on how to help someone who has lost a home from a fire or other disaster.

If you are reading this, then you still have your computer, and are so blessed. Give thanks and praise today for finding God in the tornadoes of life! Hug your friends and family!

Love always, Deborah

©Deborah Lovett.  You can visit Deborah at her website, at http://www.deborahlovett.com/fire-ministry.html.

Here’s a video showing the destruction in Moscow, Ohio, filmed by a member of the community.  This video shows the mass destruction in the area Deborah and her husband went to, to help. (Be aware that the running commentary takes the Lord’s name in vain a few times.However we do appreciate the videographer taking time to show the impact  of the tornado on his family’s community.)

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Finding God While Caring for Aging Parents

March 12, 2012 By 6 Comments

By Dianne E. Butts:

worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net It can be difficult to watch people we love, like our parents, age. We can feel helpless as we see their health deteriorate. For many, a time has come or is coming when we will need to begin acting as their caregivers. While becoming a caregiver certainly has it challenges, it’s possible caregivers might also be finding God while caring for aging parents.

According to the article “When You’re the Caregiver” in Woman’s Day.com, “an estimated 36 million U.S. households have at least one person who’s a caregiver, and 3 in 10 of them have been doing it for more than five years.”

While care-giving can be challenging, it can also be rewarding. In the same article, Leah Eskenazi, director of operations and planning for the Family Caregiver Alliance: National Center on Caregiving, said, “It can actually improve relationships with parents, create positive memories and foster peace of mind… The challenge is to maintain balance and not lose track of your own needs.”

While in His Ten Commandments God told us we need to honor our fathers and mothers (Exodus 20:12) honoring them does not mean we must sacrifice our health, marriage, or emotional well-being to care for them. It’s okay to ask for help. Some sources where you might find help are:

Jesus told us whenever we care for “the least of these” people (See Matthew 25: 31-46) it is as if we are caring for Him. As you care for your elderly mother or father, you may be the very hands of Christ taking care of them. And as you care for them, you may be surprised to discover that God does just the reverse: uses them to bless you as well, and teach you something more of Him. When this happens, you will know you’re finding God while caring for aging parents.

©Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a freelance writer, screenwriter, and author. You can visit Dianne at www.DianneEButts.com and on Twitter as @DianneEButts.

See this inspiring video on CBN on the “sandwich generation” and on getting help with elder care for loved ones.

 

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Finding God in Shrove Tuesday

February 21, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

Some people are finding God in Shrove Tuesday. Do you know what Shrove Tuesday is? Don’t worry. There was a time I didn’t know what it was either.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. This year in 2012, Shrove Tuesday is Feb. 21. Shrove Tuesday is the day that women in some locations clean out their kitchen pantries to get rid of all the foods that are not allowed for Lent, including pre-lenten meat as well as fats and oils. For some it’s a tradition to use up these tasty morsels by feasting—cooking up the meats and making the fats and oils into pancakes.

I first heard of Shrove Tuesday when I moved to a small town in Colorado and started attending a Presbyterian Church. I remember the strange telephone call I got:

“Hello, Dianne, I’m calling for the church to let you know you’ll be waitressing for our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.”

“Waitressing?” I asked. “For the what? There must be some mistake. I’m not a waitress.” I then learned everyone in the church was assigned a duty for the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper that was served to the community annually. We were fairly new in town and those people didn’t know me very well. If they had, they never would have assigned me to be a waitress.

“What’s a Shrove?” I asked.

She hesitated. “It’s a supper, “she said. “We serve pancakes and sausage.”

“Oh, “I said. “Is shrove some kind of sausage?”

“No, “she said.

“Oh. Okay,” I said, confused. In January I had received another confusing invitation to the women’s group.

“We’d like you to come to Circle,” a woman told me.

“Oh,” I said smiling.

“We’re having our Sacrificial Meal,” she added.

“Oh,” I said and tried to continue smiling. Reminded me of that story about the cannibal who wanted to have the missionary for dinner. I knew I was the new kid on the block. But what had happened to the last new kid on the block? I declined the invitation.

Now it was February and I was trying desperately to talk my way out of being a waitress.

“No, we all have our assigned jobs”, she explained kindly, “and you’re assigned to be a waitress.”

I thought of the passage in Ephesians 4:11: “He…gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelist, and some to be…” Waitresses? Alas. It seemed my assignment had been set in stone.

“Fine, I’ll waitress,” I said. “But I’d rather be in the kitchen sizzling those shroves.”

Whether or not you observe the Lenten season that leads to Easter, as you prepare for Easter and the celebration of God’s gift to us in Jesus, you might consider what extra items are in your heart that you may want to clean out. If you do that, you might be finding God in Shrove Tuesday.

What is Shrove Tuesday? video:

©Dianne E. Butts. Dianne is a regular contributor to Finding God Daily and is a prolific story and article writer. You can find out more about her at www.dianneebutts.com.

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Finding God When Things Are Not What They Seem

February 18, 2012 By 1 Comment

By Dianne E. Butts:

 

Photo from Wikipedia.org: Pilate

Things are not always what they seem. Have you ever believed in something and then discovered what you believed was absolutely not true? It happens. But when it does, what do you do? If you’re willing to chase after the truth, then you just might discover you’re finding God when things are not what they seem.

Many people either don’t want to chase after the truth or don’t recognize the truth when they see it.

When Jesus was put on trial for nonexistent crimes, He had a conversation with Pilate. During that conversation (see John18:38) Pilate asked, “What is truth?”

Interestingly, only a short time earlier, just before His arrest, Jesus told His disciples that He was going away and where He was going they could not come at that time. But when the time was right, they would go to be where He was. Jesus said, “You know the way to the place where I am going.”

But the disciple, Thomas, said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (John 14-6, NIV Bible)

Did you see that? Right there, Jesus said He is the Truth.

Within hours, Jesus was standing before Pilate having a conversation about kingdoms. Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king. Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world. Pilate said, “You are a king, then!”

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“What is truth?” Pilate asked.

Pilate had Truth personified standing right there before him, but he did not recognize it! Things were not what they seemed to Pilate.

When things are not what they seem, it can catch us by surprise. Some surprises are delightful. Other surprises can cause doubts to invade our minds. So which do you think is better: believing something that isn’t true? Or finding out the truth?

Some people think those of us who believe in God believe in an illusion. What do you believe? For those of us who are hopelessly in love with finding the truth, we have to pursue the truth until we determine whether what we believe is truth or we are chasing an illusion. When you seek the truth with everything you have, no matter what the outcome is, you will be finding God when things are not what they seem.

In this short movie titled Bob, the hamster chases after his heart’s desire. But if you’ll watch it to the very end—even beyond the credits—you’ll discover things are not what they seem!

©Dianne E. Butts has over 275 articles and short fiction in more than fifty publications and eighteen books, and is a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

Enjoy this short animation: Bob – The Adventures of a Hamster Lover, a film by Jacob Frey and Harry Fast. Compare this fun animation with the old-world painting above. These works of art were created centuries apart, one with a brush, the other with a computer. Yet both reveal how truth can be missed without a closer look.

 

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Finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day

January 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

President Ronald Reagan designated a Sunday in January as Sanctity of Human Life Day. This was designed to coincide with the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court case that ruled abortion as constitutionally protected. In 2012, on Sunday, January 22, we can be finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day.

You may recall our previous post, Finding God in an Unplanned Pregnancy, where we reviewed the book Deliver Me: Hope, Help, & Healing through True Stories of Unplanned Pregnancy, by Dianne E. Butts.  Throughout that book, in more than fifty true stories, women and men explain how they found God’s love. Many also found His forgiveness after they found themselves in unplanned pregnancies, some of which ended in abortion.

We’d like to add here a few additional reviews for this great resource:

Emily M. Akin, a freelance writer and blogger at Tennessee Christian Reader noted,  “Married women as well as unwed mothers find themselves in this situation. Often, they think abortion is their only option.” Akin describes the book saying, “Mothers who chose to keep their babies share their decision-making experience. Those who had abortions tell of the mental anguish they suffered and how they found healing.”

Book reviewer Catherine Boyle says she reviewed the book mainly “because this is one of the defining issues of my generation.”  She wrote, “I’ve known two women who gave up a baby for adoption.  Several others kept their babies, some as single moms, the rest got married.  My own husband was born to an unwed teenager, and adopted at birth.” Boyle added,  “Deliver Me provided excellent statistical references on a variety of issues surrounding unplanned pregnancy.”

Reviewer Donna Collins Tinsley says, “Dianne E. Butts has compiled a much needed and encouraging book. Nearly every story I read I thought ‘this is my favorite’ and then there would be another one that stole my heart. . .”

On Amazon, Kathy S., wrote: “Overall this book is an excellent resource for anyone involved in an unplanned pregnancy including pregnant women, their partners, parents, grandparents, friends, family, and those involved in the work of crisis pregnancy centers.”

In addition, those experiencing unplanned pregnancies can find compassionate, confidential help at a pregnancy centers. You can find the one closest to you at www.Optionline.org.

This year it’s possible to be finding God on Sanctity of Human Life Day, as we remember the value of life: even during unplanned pregnancies.

On a related note,  this is a great day to remember the story of Samuel Armas, who before birth, at 21 weeks gestation and during fetal surgery, grasped the finger of his surgeon. (See: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519181,00.html ) Although Samuel is now twelve years old, the photo taken during his surgery before his birth has just as much impact today as it did then.

The YouTube video shows, at the end,  the photo with Samuel’s hand:

 

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Finding God in my Wants and Needs

January 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

By: Deborah Lovett:

It is so comforting for me to know I can be finding God in my wants and needs!  Here is my list, dedicated in a letter to my Lord.

Dear Abba Father,

I write and read this list to you, Father, believing and knowing that You will not only fill my well today but overflow it!

Lord, help me:

1. be a mighty Woman and Warrior of the Well through prayer.
2. be hearty, heroic, compassionate, and fearless for my King.
3. be holy like You, and be great in faith and love for my Prince.
4. look only to You, and as I do, help my flesh to be crucified.
5. be like a generous flood, a gushing spring of life for others.
6. surrender daily to You and to the secret place.
7. hear angels sing and see the vision of Your glory!
8. have life renewed and refreshed daily through Your Word.
9. know what divine communion looks, feels, hears, and tastes like with You!
10. learn to worship You in reckless abandonment.
11. not be lazy or lukewarm, but passionate in my stature.
12. live simply, in truth, with sincerity, and authenticity.
13. be fruitful for Your kingdom.
14. know what it means to live in the power of Your resurrection.
15. drink more deeply and believe more bountifully, give more graciously, and forgive more fully.

God, help me to know how BIG you really are!

Allow me a burning passion that sees your GLORY! (But help me heed to, and apply, the passion correctly!)

Thanks for sending Your Son as the gift that never quits giving. In Jesus name I pray.

Love Always,
Your Daughter:  Deborah

I am so grateful to be finding God in my wants and needs. How about you, dear readers?

 ©Deborah Lovett (www.deborahlovett.com) is an International Speaker for Women’s Events, Retreats, and Conferences and a regular contributor to Finding God Daily.

See this beautiful video called I Need You God, from www.thedesperate.com

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Finding God in My Spouse

January 10, 2012 By 2 Comments

By Karen O’Connor:

 The early morning light filtered through the bedroom window. I poked my husband gently so he’d roll over on his side. This slight gesture usually ends the snoring. Before falling back to sleep myself, I looked at him for a moment or two, realizing I was finding God in my spouse right then and there. As I gazed at his snow white hair and matching beard, and pictured the bright blue eyes behind his closed lids, and touched the comforting texture of his cheek, I saw again what a gift he is.

I was careful not to awaken him, for I didn’t want to interrupt his rest, but I did want to linger over his countenance long enough to appreciate the man he is, my husband, my best friend, my partner in life. In the quiet hour I had time to thank God for my husband, Charles, for his strong presence in our blended family, for his deep love for each of us, and for the commitment he has to living a life of charity and integrity.

He’s not a perfect man—but he’s perfect for me! We have our ups and downs as couples do, but whenever I take time to step back and contemplate what we have together, I am humbled with gratitude and praise for God who has chosen the one who is right for me while I make my way through life. It’s easy to find the faults, to wish this or that were different, to want more of this or less of that, but when it comes down to it, finding God in my spouse is one of the best ways for me to turn my heart to the Lord in prayer, for he has done great things for me through the love of my husband.

 

Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them (Colossians 3:18-19 NIV the Bible).

 

©Karen O’Connor (www.karenoconnor.com). Karen contributes regularly to Finding God Daily.Visit Karen’s website to learn more about this author who has touched the lives of many women.

Watch this inspiring marriage video on YouTube— loving the way Jesus loves

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